5 Ways to Help You Describe Your Pain to Your Doctor

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It can be hard to give your doctor an accurate depiction of your pain issue.

But it’s necessary to get the treatment you need. 

So, we created this list of five ways you can better describe your pain to your doctor to help prepare for your next visit.

1. Be ready to describe how severe it is. 

At your visit, doctors and nurses typically ask you:

  • How bad your pain is on a scale of one to ten.
  • Whether your pain is mild, moderate, or severe. 
  • To choose from several or more faces with expressions showing varying degrees of pain. 

Coming to your appointment prepared with answers to these questions will give your doctor a clearer picture of your pain issue.

2. Keep a detailed record of your pain. 

A “pain journal” is a great way to gather and organize your thoughts into a detailed, accurate pain record. 

Here are some questions to consider: 

  • When did it start? Is it constant, or does it come and go? 
  • If it comes and goes, what time of day do you feel it? In the night, morning, afternoon, evening, or more than one? 
  • Does any action like sitting down, laying down, or standing up make the pain better or worse? Does applying cold or heat to the affected area relieve or worsen it?
  • Is there any discomfort along with the pain, such as numbness, coldness, or warmth?

3. Choose a few words that accurately describe how it feels. 

Ask yourself whether the pain is dull, sharp, throbbing, radiating, or something else. Here are some words for inspiration:

  • Aching, burning, cramping, grating, lingering, penetrating, piercing, radiating, searing, scraping, shooting, splitting, stabbing, stinging, tearing, throbbing, tingling, tugging, wrenching, sharp, tender, tight, dull 

4. Be prepared to talk about any previous pain treatments. 

  • Have you tried acupuncture, chiropractic, or any other natural treatments or therapies?

5. Write down everything your pain keeps you from doing.

List all the things you would do in your daily life if pain-free or in less pain. Can you lift objects and twist, turn, and bend freely? Can you climb stairs and stand for extended periods?

Pain Management and Treatment with Kindness

The pain specialist team at Texas Pain Physicians provides friendly, compassionate care — from your first consultation to your last treatment.

If you’re in pain, please visit one of our locations in Dallas, Houston, Irving, or elsewhere in Texas. Give us a call today to schedule your appointment or book online.

Common Car Accident Injuries, Symptoms, and Treatments

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A recent Esurance report found that the average driver will experience 3-4 accidents in their lifetime. 

Let’s look at some common car accident injuries, symptoms, and treatments (the below list is NOT in order of most common injuries).

1. Internal Bleeding

Your organs are delicate and vulnerable to trauma. These potentially life-threatening injuries are much more likely in high-speed crashes.

Symptoms: 

  • chest pain
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • dizziness
  • severe weakness
  • losing consciousness
  • low blood pressure
  • acute visual problems
  • numbness
  • weakness on one side of the body
  • severe headache
  • severe abdominal pain
  • shortness of breath

Treatment: 

Treatment varies depending on the severity. Minor internal bleeding may stop without intervention, but severe internal bleeding may require surgery and extended care (in hospice).

2. Concussions

Concussions or traumatic head injuries are when a sudden stop or impact jolts the brain hard enough to jostle against the inner wall of the skull. 

symptoms: 

  • headache
  • ringing in the ears
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • fatigue or drowsiness
  • blurry vision
  • confusion or mental fogginess
  • blurred vision

treatment: 

Doctors DO NOT recommend complete rest in a dark room for days.

In the first few days after a concussion, try to get as much sleep as needed and limit or avoid certain physical and mental activities.

For instance, try to cut back on high-concentration activities such as watching TV, playing video games, reading, and using computers — if these activities make your symptoms worse. 

Also, avoid exercise and physical activities for a few days, and continue avoiding them if your symptoms do not improve. 

3. Broken Bones

Common broken bone injuries resulting from auto accidents include:

  • back and neck vertebrae
  • clavicle (shoulder blades)
  • fibula (lower leg)
  • femur (upper leg)
  • cranial (skull)
  • facial bones
  • sternum (rib cage)

Symptoms: 

  • sudden, shooting pain
  • inability to bear weight
  • deformity (bone pushing up or penetrating through the skin)
  • limited or no range of motion (in limbs)
  • warmth in the affected area
  • bruising and redness

Treatment:

Broken bones must be realigned or set so that they heal correctly.

4. Musculoskeletal Injuries

Musculoskeletal injuries include muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, discs, and blood vessels. These injuries can be painful and can restrict limb movement.

Example injuries:

  • Ligament sprain
  • mechanical back syndrome
  • Ruptured bulging or herniated discs

Symptoms:

Symptoms vary depending on the location and severity but generally include pain that worsens with activity. The affected area may also look red and inflamed.

Treatment: 

Treatment also varies depending on the severity, but generally, treatment plans will include:

  • rest
  • physical therapy
  • anti-inflammatories
  • muscle relaxers
  • heat/cold therapies
  • ergonomics

5. Whiplash (muscle strain) 

Though whiplash is a musculoskeletal injury, it’s so common in car accidents that it demands a separate category.

Whiplash is the sudden contorting and stretching of the head and neck muscles that causes muscle strain. It may be helpful to think of the forceful back-and-forth action of a cracking whip.

Most whiplash injuries in car accidents happen during rear-end impacts. 

Symptoms: 

Signs and symptoms of whiplash usually develop within days of the injury and may include:

  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Neck pain, stiffness, and lost range of motion
  • Worsening of pain with neck movement
  • Headaches, most often starting at the base of the skull
  • Tenderness or pain in the shoulder, upper back, or arms
  • Tingling and numbness in the arms

Treatment:

Your pain management specialist will likely recommend over-the-counter pain medication and exercise, including stretching exercises. Whiplash is a minor injury that heals within weeks.

6. Skin Injuries

Serious skin injuries include:

  • cuts
  • lacerations
  • gashes
  • tears

These skin injuries happen when sharp objects penetrate through the skin into the fat tissue. Cuts that measure more than a quarter-inch may need medical attention, and half-inch cuts usually need sutures. 

Rug or seatbelt burns, also known as abrasions, are minor skin wounds that don’t penetrate through the skin.

Treatment: 

Anti-bacterial treatment and bandages are sufficient for minor skin wounds that don’t penetrate through the skin. Bruises heal on their own within weeks.

Your Pain Specialists in Texas

At Texas Pain Physicians, our patients quickly come to trust our friendly staff and appreciate the benefits of expert care and innovative treatment methodologies and technology.

If you have been injured in a car accident and received initial medical treatment but are still in pain, please give us a call or book your appointment today.

 

 

7 Ways to Manage Cancer Pain

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Like other pain, the frequency and severity of cancer pain vary. It can be mild, moderate, and severe, as well as constant or chronic. 

Chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery to remove cancer can reduce pain and improve quality of life.

However, these are direct interventions oncologists (doctors who specialize in treating cancer) use to treat and manage cancer itself.

For pain specialists, the goal is to lessen or eliminate pain caused by cancer. Let’s look at seven ways they manage cancer pain. 

1. Anti-depressants and Anticonvulsants

Antidepressants such as Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) can provide cancer pain relief. 

Studies show that SNRIs are well-tolerated by cancer patients and beneficial in managing neuropathic pain, a type of pain that cancer can cause. TCAs are an older type of antidepressant. 

They can also provide relief from neuropathic pain caused by cancer but are not as well tolerated by cancer patients. 

2. Nerve Stimulation 

Peripheral nerve stimulation may be effective in managing cancer pain.

This pain management method involves surgically planting a small electrical device near the spine or brain. The device transmits electrical impulses to specific nerves that block pain messages from reaching the brain.

3. Nerve blocks

Nerve blocks are injections of local anesthetics into the space around the spinal cord that block the nerves around the spinal cord from sending pain messages to the brain. 

Nerve block injections can provide relief from moderate to severe cancer pain.

4. Complementary/Integrative Approaches 

Pain management specialists may recommend adding these non-medical approaches to a cancer pain management plan at any time.

They include acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, relaxation techniques, and movement therapies. 

5. OTC Pain Medications

Pain relievers like non-steroidal anti-inflammatories ( aspirin and ibuprofen) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can treat moderate to severe cancer pain. Always check with your doctor before taking these medications. 

They can cause dangerous and potentially life-threatening side effects and are particularly dangerous when taken during chemotherapy treatment. 

6. Marijuana 

In some states, marijuana is legal and prescribed for cancer pain. Studies have found that marijuana can be effective in managing neuropathic pain caused by cancer. 

Also, CBD or cannabis in marijuana can reduce inflammation, which can bring pain relief.

7. Narcotic Pain Relievers

Opioids or narcotic pain relievers such as morphine and oxycodone relieve moderate to severe cancer pain.

Other medications and treatments are preferable, however, since narcotic pain relievers can foster drug dependency. 

Cancer Pain Treatment and Management in Texas

At Texas Pain Physicians, our board-certified physicians are skilled in managing cancer pain.

We can help you set realistic cancer pain management goals and closely monitor the success of your treatment. Please give us a call or book your appointment online today!

Why You Need A Pain Management Specialist

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Everyone needs a primary care physician.

But when you have pain symptoms, especially chronic pain symptoms, your primary care doctor should refer you to a pain management specialist. 

What are their qualifications? 

Pain management specialists, also known as pain doctors and pain specialists, have over nine years of medical training, including:

  • four years of medical school
  • four years of experience practicing medicine in a field such as anesthesiology, physical medicine, and rehabilitation
  • one-year fellowship in the field of pain medicine

A qualified pain management specialist is board-certified in pain management with one of the following boards: 

  • The American Board of Anesthesiology
  • The American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (also known as The American Board of Neurology)
  • The American Board of Psychiatry

What medical care do they provide?

Pain management specialists are doctors with special training to evaluate, diagnose, prevent, and treat chronic and acute pain. They provide short and long-term pain care.

Types of Pain They Treat

1. Tissue pain from tissue damage 

Tissue damage pain can be caused by chronic conditions such as arthritis and musculoskeletal injuries from impact and force (ex: falling and getting hit).

2. Nerve pain from nervous system disease 

Nervous system diseases such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis can cause nerve pain.

3. Tissue and nerve pain 

Injuries and degeneration cause tissue and nerve pain. Examples are back and neck pain from herniated disc pain from spinal stenosis, and knee pain from injuries.

What do they do that primary care physicians can’t do?

1. Administer diagnostic tests to identify the cause of pain and treat pain at its source. 

2. Administer fast-acting pain-relieving procedures like therapeutic nerve blocks.

3. Coordinate with specialists in other fields, including physical and psychological therapy or rehabilitation, to create comprehensive treatment plans. 

4. Prescribe effective treatments and medications to manage, prevent, and suppress all types of pain.

5. Coordinate with a network of health professionals to enact the most effective pain management plan possible. 

Where do they practice medicine?

Pain management specialists generally meet patients in medical offices or clinics. They perform surgeries and other procedures in hospitals (inpatient) and out of hospitals (outpatient). 

The Texas Pain Management Specialists 

At Texas Pain Physicians, our priority is to improve your quality of life.

If you are suffering from the emotional and physical challenges of chronic or acute pain, please give us a call at (972) 636-5727 or book your appointment online today.

Can’t Get Pain Relief At Home? 5 Benefits of Interventional Pain Management

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Are you frustrated with at-home pain management therapies and techniques that aren’t working? Perhaps you’ve gotten some pain relief from them, but not enough. 

Yes, stretching, heat and cold therapies, breathing exercises, OTC painkillers, and other conservative, DIY treatments can relieve acute and chronic pain.

But when you’ve tried these things and pain continues to interfere with your life, it may be time to try something new. 

What is interventional pain management? 

Interventional pain management is about diagnosing and treating pain-related disorders using a multi-disciplinary approach.

This approach involves more than one healthcare professional coordinating their efforts in relieving, reducing, and managing patients’ pain symptoms.

The Benefits of Interventional Pain Management

Interventional pain management can improve your quality of life. Here’s how:

1. Fast-Working Pain Relief 

At-home treatments can take a long time to reduce or relieve pain. But interventional treatment such as steroid injections can provide immediate relief. 

2. Long-Term Pain Management 

Imagine taking one trip to your pain management specialist for a treatment procedure that gives you months of pain relief. 

That’s what minimally invasive treatments like Botox treatment for migraines and steroid injections for back pain can do. 

Compare that one-and-done peace of mind to daily (if not hourly) dosing with over-the-counter and narcotic pain medications.

3. A Medical Team Treating Your Pain

Interventional pain management applies a team approach to treating pain. Having a team to treat your pain gives you an important advantage:

  • Input from more expert medical opinions means a better chance of successful treatment.

And you are the most important team member. No decision is made without your input and cooperation as a patient.

“Who exactly is on the team?” you ask. Your primary care physician will cooperate with one or more of the following health care professionals: 

  • Anesthesiologists
  • Physiatrists
  • Physical therapists
  • Occupational therapists
  • Internists
  • Nurses
  • Psychologists and psychiatrists
  • Physiatrists

4. Safer, Drug-Free Treatment Options

Opioid pain medications can provide pain relief for many people. But these medications can also be risky and ineffective at treating pain. 

By contrast, interventional pain management uses many non-drug treatment techniques to relieve pain, including: 

Pain management physicians may prescribe one of these minimally invasive techniques or combine them with other treatments. 

Compared with narcotics, these treatments have fewer or no side effects. 

5. Pain Relief at the Source of the Pain

Minimally invasive intervention techniques such as epidural steroid injection and radiofrequency ablation stop pain at its source. 

And the benefits can extend beyond pain relief. For instance, an epidural steroid injection is a treatment for many forms of lower back and leg pain. It relieves pain by reducing swelling and inflammation around the nerve roots in the lower back.

Reduced swelling and inflammation improve mobility and function in the lower back and legs. This improved functioning allows patients to participate in physical therapy and rehabilitation programs. 

Get the pain treatment that’s right for you.

Are you suffering from chronic or acute pain? At Texas Pain Physicians, our caring doctors are here to help. We will partner with you to devise a safe, innovative, and effective interventional pain treatment plan that works for you.

Give us a call today at 972 636-5727, or schedule your appointment online today!

 

Planning Some Outdoor Summer Fun? 5 Injury-Related Tips

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According to the CDC, the leading cause of death for people ages 1-44 in the U.S. is unintentional injury.

And during the summer, people of every age group are outdoors and more active.

Here are some tips for preventing and managing common injuries that happen during popular activities.

1. Picnic and Hiking Injuries

Picnicking and hiking are two of the top three favorite summer activities for Americans (according to a 2016 study by the National Recreation and Park Association). 

And they account for a significant annual share of visits to the doctor and emergency room for various injuries. 

It’s likely someone will suffer an injury like a broken or sprained ankle on a hiking or camping trip. Team sports like dodgeball, volleyball, and softball are popular picnic activities.

Injury Prevention and Management

To reduce the risk of common impact, flesh, and musculoskeletal injuries, use standard safety equipment, observe and enforce safety rules, and warm up with light jogging and stretching beforehand.

On hikes and camping trips far from cars and modern life, pack foldable crutches and walking sticks or canes. 

And if there’s extra room, pack a litter or drag. This blanket-like device can be a lifesaver when someone is seriously injured and unable to walk at all.

2. Cycling Injuries

Cyclists, beware. 

Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of death in the United States. Though cycling is popular, helmet laws for cycling are not. And where helmet laws are in effect, many cyclists don’t comply. 

Cycling accounts for almost 20% of the sports-related head injuries treated at US hospital emergency rooms in 2018.

The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute suggests wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of head and neck injury by up to 88%.

Injury Prevention and Management

Concussions can be fatal and have long-term effects, and early evaluation and treatment are critical.  

When someone falls from a bike and hits their head, they should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Even when they think they’re ok. 

3. Swimming Injuries

Musculoskeletal injuries like swimmer’s shoulder are common in swimming.

Though a much rarer injury than swimmer’s shoulder, diving into the water is one of the leading annual causes of spinal cord injuries.

Injury Prevention 

Characterized by inflammation of the shoulder tendons, it develops as swimmers repeatedly raise their arms in a crawl stroke (a stroke people commonly call ‘freestyle’). Varying swimming styles can help prevent swimmer’s shoulder.

To prevent injuries from diving, always supervise children and verify that water depth is a minimum of eight feet. 

4. Water Sports Injuries

Riding on boats and jet skis can be thrilling but also dangerous. Common watercraft injuries include:

Brain trauma from oxygen deprivation from being underwater too long and from impact from a collision with another boat or watercraft.

Spinal cord injuries from impact during boat and jet ski collisions and hitting fixed objects.

Spinal compression from absorbing the impact of watercraft bouncing on waves.

Whiplash from impacts during boat accidents.

  • Injury Prevention To lessen the chances of injury while operating a watercraft, use all required safety gear, including life jackets and helmets, and follow all relevant maritime laws at all times.

5. Playground Injuries

The most common playground injuries include:

  • concussions
  • internal organ injuries
  • broken bones and dislocations
  • strains and sprains

Falls are the leading cause of playground-related emergency room visits. Children fall when they lose their grips on merry-go-rounds, swings, monkey bars, slides, and seesaws. 

Children can also fall when they lose their grip or balance due to loose clothing and clothing with drawstrings.

Injury Prevention

Focused adult supervision and safety instruction are critical to preventing playground injuries.

Board-Certified Pain Management Doctors

Have you or a loved one suffered an injury recently?

At Texas Pain Physicians, we have a whole team of board-certified pain management doctors. We can help get you or your loved ones back to an active, pain-free lifestyle as quickly as possible.

Call (972) 636-5727 to book an appointment with us today!

Athlete getting knee examination

Have Knee Pain Symptoms? Know When It’s Time to Seek Medical Attention.

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Your knees are the largest, most active joints in your body and the hinge point of your legs.

It’s easy to think most knee pain comes on as a result of injury during strenuous activities. But everyday activities in work and school can cause it, too.

And for many people, chronic knee pain sets in as they age.

Knee Pain You Can Treat At Home

Like other pain symptoms, some knee pain is not severe enough to require medical attention. You can manage the following symptoms at home:

1. Mild to moderate knee pain after a strenuous activity that you don’t normally do, like running or walking a few miles.

2. Mild to moderate knee pain that comes on slowly.

3. Mild to moderate knee pain from minor injuries without significant movement limitation or inability to bear weight, such as mild knee strains.

Knee Pain that Requires Immediate Medical Attention 

Seek immediate medical attention when knee pain is severe, especially when accompanied by weakness and limited range of motion.

Intense Pain: Go to urgent care or the emergency room if you have severe knee pain, especially from a forceful impact.

Deformed joint: Go to urgent care or the emergency room when your knee joint is deformed. A dislocation and or break is likely.

Popping Noise: Go to urgent care or the emergency room if there was a popping noise when your knee was injured.

Sudden Knee swelling: Go to urgent care or the emergency room if your knee swells up suddenly.

Knee Pain Symptoms that Require A Visit to the Doctor

Sudden knee swelling: If swelling sets in gradually, schedule a doctor’s appointment. Significant swelling of the knee can cause joint tissue damage, cartilage degradation, and bone softening.

Joint weakness: See a doctor if your knee cannot bear weight and you need support to walk.

Tenderness and warmth: Schedule a doctor’s appointment if your knee feels warm and sensitive to the touch.

What to Expect During Examination 

A doctor will examine your knee and, depending on the symptoms, do the following:

  • Drawing fluid from the knee
  • Taking an x-ray
  • Take an MRI

Surgery may be necessary to correct the damage. If not, the doctor will recommend home treatments such as rest, hot and cold therapy, and pain medications.

Knee Pain Treatment in Houston and Dallas 

You don’t need to rush to the ER for non-severe knee pain symptoms, but you should schedule a doctor’s appointment. Texas Pain Physicians’ team of board-certified pain specialists are experts at diagnosing, treating, and managing knee pain.

Put your best foot forward by booking an appointment online or calling us today at (972) 636-5727.

Spine Pain

Still in Pain after Spine Surgery? 6 Treatments to Help You Start Feeling Better.

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1 in 5 people* will have spine surgery that fails to provide long-term pain relief, regardless of the type of procedure. This number includes minimally invasive spine surgeries.

Back surgery that fails to relieve pain is known as Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBBS).

Whether you are going through normal post-operative pain or FBBS, a conservative, non-surgical approach is the safest way to manage your pain.

Let’s take a look at some treatment options.

1. Cognitive-Behavior Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy involves meeting with a therapist 10 to 20 times. The therapist helps you focus on changing negative thoughts and feelings when you have back pain.

Positive thinking cannot stop the pain, but it can help to manage it.

2. Relaxation Techniques

Worrying about pain can make it worse. Chronic stress causes elevated stress hormones, muscle tension, and inflammation.

Relaxation techniques can lower the number of stress hormones in your body, relax muscles, calm the mind, and promote a sense of well-being.

Practicing relaxation techniques such as four-square breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, and hypnosis regularly can have long-term, positive results.

3. Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a therapy that uses a low voltage electrical current to relieve pain.

Doctors have proposed that the therapy relieves pain when nerves block the transmission of pain signals or raise the level of endorphins, the human body’s pain-killing chemical.

4. Pain Medication

Doctors often prescribe pain medication and recommend OTC pain medication to manage post-operative pain and ongoing pain.

As prescription opioid medication can be addictive, it’s necessary to have skilled pain doctors who can devise safe treatment strategies.

5. Steroid Injections

Many patients experience post-surgery pain from the swelling and inflammation at the surgery site. Steroid injections reduce this swelling and inflammation.

A single steroid injection procedure can provide pain relief for months.

6. Topical Therapies

Topical treatments can provide relief for post-operative surgical pain and ongoing back pain.

Applying dry or moist heat to the surgery site can decrease pain and allow temporary mobility.

Studies show moist heat application penetrates deeper and faster than dry heat, providing more temporary relief and functional movement.

Applying a cold compress or pack to the surgery site can relieve pain by reducing blood flow and inflammation during the initial, most intense healing phase.

 

Back pain relief in Houston, Dallas, and many other locations in Texas.

Perhaps they told you it was because of surgeon error or misdiagnosis.

Whatever the issue was, you are still in pain.

At Texas Pain Physicians, our board-certified pain management doctors are experts in well-established and innovative back pain treatment methods.

Contact us today at (972) 636-5727 to book your appointment.

 

*According to a 2020 study by The Journal of Orthopedic Research

Young Woman With Back Pain

Steroid Injections: A Non-Invasive Treatment for Fast, Extended Back Pain Relief

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Living with back pain from injury or wear and tear can be overwhelming. When the pain is severe, and you can’t sleep well and have to start canceling important commitments, relief cannot come soon enough.

Steroid injections are a non-invasive, fast-acting, and extended pain relief solution for back pain.

Relief from Upper Back Pain 

There are many possible reasons for pain in the upper back. Common problems such as bulging or herniated disc and disc degeneration can compress nerve roots and cause local inflammation.

The pain often remains around the nerves in the upper back and neck area. But, depending on the condition, it can travel down into the shoulders, arms, and hands.

Upper back or cervical steroid injections stop this pain by reducing inflammation and coating the nerves.

Relief from Lower Back Pain 

Nerves run from your spinal cord out to your lower back and down your legs. When spinal discs become damaged, they can cause inflammation and irritation of the nerve roots close to the spinal cord.

The pain from this inflammation can radiate from your lower back down into your legs. A lower back or caudal steroid injection can reduce inflammation and relieve the pain.

What can I expect during a steroid injection procedure?

Steroid injections are outpatient treatments. For spinal injections, you will lie on an x-ray table, face down.

Before both the cervical and caudal steroid injections, you may receive a calming intravenous or IV medication. The procedures usually take less than 15 minutes.

Upper Back Injection Procedure:

Patients lay face down. One or two injections are administered to the upper back.

A single injection contains a mixture of anesthetic for immediate pain relief and steroids for long-term pain relief.

When you receive two injections, the first is a smaller needle with a local anesthetic, and the second is a larger needle with the steroid.

Lower Back Injection Procedure:

  • Like the upper back or cervical injection procedure, patients lay face down.
  • They receive one or two injections into the lower back, above the tailbone.

How long does the pain relief last?

Many patients report immediate pain relief. For many, this is due to the anesthetic, which wears off within hours.

It usually takes the steroid two or three days to set in and relieve the pain. For some patients, relief can last for months.

Back Pain Treatment at Texas Pain Physicians

You don’t have to lose any more sleep or cancel any more appointments because of back pain. If you think steroid injection may be the answer, we can meet with you ASAP.

Our physicians are experts in pain management who can help you decide on the best treatment.

Book an appointment online or give us a call at (972) 636-5727 today!

Woman with migraine

Want Extended Relief from Chronic Migraines? 7 Things to Know about Botox Treatment

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The thudding pain feels like getting kicked in the head again and again. 

You can only lay down in a dark, quiet room until it goes away.

There is no known cure for chronic migraines.

But…

Imagine living with fewer migraine attacks – or no attacks – for months. Imagine not having to take pain meds all the time.

It’s possible with Botox injections for migraines. Here are seven things to know about this treatment.

1. Does Botox treatment eliminate migraine attacks?

According to the American Migraine Foundation, studies show that Botox injections for migraines reduce the number of days patients suffer from migraines or other headaches by 50%.

2. How does Botox stop migraine attacks?

Botox, or botulinum, is a neurotoxin extracted from mold. Well-known for its use as a cosmetic treatment, the FDA approved Botox as a treatment for migraines in 2010.

Though doctors don’t know precisely how Botox stops migraines, they suggest that it blocks pain signals from reaching the brain.

3. Who can get this treatment?

Those with diagnosed chronic migraine. Chronic migraine symptoms:

  • headaches at least 15 days of each month
  • eight migraine headaches each month
  • these symptoms occur for at least three months

Once the diagnosis is confirmed, a headache specialist or neurologist prescribes the treatment.

4. What’s a Botox treatment session like?

The neurologist typically administers shots of Botox in the head and neck once every three months. Doctors don’t give Botox injections more often than every three months because this could trigger the body’s immune response, which would make the treatment ineffective.

Doctors trained to treat migraine with Botox administer the injections (not plastic surgeons trained to use Botox for cosmetic purposes). Around 30 to 40 injections are administered evenly to each side of the head and neck.

5. How long does it take to see results?

Results come within 2 to 3 weeks, and the effects last 10-12 weeks. Alternative medication is needed to treat migraines during the ineffective period. Patients see better and better results after multiple treatment cycles.

6. Are there any side effects?

The most common side effects are swelling and bruising at the injection sites. Less common side effects include head and neck pain and headaches.

7. Does insurance cover this?

Botox injection sessions as a treatment for chronic migraines cost thousands of dollars a year. A patient’s insurance company will cover the treatment when the patient has been diagnosed with chronic migraine headaches.

Insurance companies may not cover Botox treatments for adolescents and children.

Migraine treatment in Houston, Dallas, and many other Texas locations. 

Don’t allow this debilitating condition to interfere with your life a day longer.

At Texas Pain Physicians, we have a team of doctors who specialize in pain management. Botox injection is one of our treatments for chronic migraines.

Please give us a call at (972) 636-5727 to set up an appointment at your nearest Texas Pain Physicians location.